English Language and Composition

English Language and Composition

Sample Multiple-Choice Questions

Questions 1-6. Read the following passage carefully before you choose your answers.

Thus there are two books from whence I collect my divinity; besides that written one of God, another of his servant nature, that universal and public manuscript that lies expansed unto the eyes of all: those that never saw him in the one, have discovered him in the other. This was the scripture and theology of the heathens[1]: the natural motion of

5) the sun made them more admire him than its supernatural station[2] did the children of Israel; the ordinary effects of nature wrought more admiration in them than in the other all his miracles. Surely the heathens knew better how to join and read these mystical letters than we Christians, who cast a more careless eye on these common hieroglyphics, and disdain to suck divinity from the flowers of nature. Nor do I so forget God as to

10) adore the name of nature; which I define not, with the schools, to be the principle of motion and rest, but that straight and regular line, that settled and constant course the wisdom of God hath ordained the actions of his creatures, according to their several kinds. To make a revolution every day is the nature of the sun, because of that necessary course which God hath ordained it, from which it cannot swerve but by a faculty from 15) the voice which first did give it motion. Now this course of nature God seldom alters or perverts, but like an excellent artist, hath so contrived his work, that with the selfsame instrument, without a new creation, he may effect his obscurest designs. Thus he sweeteneth the water with a wood,[3] preserveth the creatures in the ark, which the blast of his mouth might have as easily created; for God is like a skillful geometrician, who, when 20) more easily and with one stroke of his compass he might describe or divide a right line, had yet rather do this in a circle or longer way according to the constituted and fore-laid principles of his art. Yet this rule of his he doth sometimes pervert, to acquaint the world with his prerogative, lest the arrogancy of our reason should question his power, and conclude he could not. And thus call the effects of nature the works of God, whose

25) hand and instrument she only is; and therefore to ascribe his actions unto her, is to devolve the honour of the principal agent upon the instrument; which if with reason we may do, then let our hammers rise up and boast they built our houses, and our pens receive the honour of our writings. I hold there is a general beauty in the works of God, and therefore no deformity in any kind or species of creature whatsoever. I cannot tell by 30) what logic we call a toad, a bear, or an elephant ugly; they being created in those outward shapes and figures which best express the actions of their inward forms, and having passed that general visitation of God, who saw that all that he had made was good, that is, conformable to his will, which abhors deformity, and is the rule of order and beauty. There is no deformity but in monstrosity; wherein, notwithstanding, there is a

35) kind of beauty, nature so ingeniously contriving the irregular parts, as they become sometimes more remarkable than the principal fabric. To speak yet more narrowly, there never was anything ugly or misshapen, but the chaos; wherein, not-withstanding, to speak strictly, there was no deformity, because no form; nor was it yet impregnant by the voice of God. Now nature is not at variance with art, nor art with nature, they being both

40) servants of his providence. Art is the perfection of nature. Were the world now as it was the sixth day, there were yet a chaos. Nature hath made one world, and art another. In brief, all things are artificial; for nature is the art of God.

(1634-1635)

1. In relation to the passage as a whole, the statement in the first sentence presents

A) a metaphor that introduces the subject of the passage

B) a list of the various views that the passage will analyze

C) an anecdote that illustrates the main theme of the passage

D) an antithesis, both sides of which are commented on in the passage

E) an assumption against which the rest of the passage argues

2. It can be inferred that the phrase “common hieroglyphics’’ (line 8) refers to

A) mathematical theorems

B) artistic works

C) books of the Bible

D) books written by “heathens’’

E) everyday natural phenomena

3. According to the passage, natural laws are temporarily suspended on occasion so that

A) the principles of God’s art can be revealed

B) God can prove that he can alter these laws

C) God can fashion new principles of design

D) nature can be perfected

E) “heathens” can be made to admire God’s creation

4. In lines (24 - 28 “And thus . . . honour of our writings”), the speaker employs which of the following rhetorical strategies?

A) Argument by analogy

B) Appeal to emotion

C) Understatement

D) Shift in point of view

E) Euphemism

5. The function of the sentence in line 41 (“Nature . . . another”) is to present

A) an extended example of the idea that art improves on nature

B) a contradiction of the speaker’s argument that outward shapes perfect inward forms

C) an apology for the speaker’s ideas about nature

D) a balanced antithesis of the speaker’s concluding words

E) a step in the author’s logic leading up to the final assertion

6. Which of the following best summarizes the main topic of the passage?

A) The necessity for earthly creatures to adore their creator

B) The beauty and perfection of nature

C) Nature as evidence of God’s greatness

D) The differences between human and divine creations

E) The different ways “heathens’’ and Christians view nature

Questions 7-16. Read the following passage carefully before you choose your answers.

It is not easy to write a familiar style. Many people mistake a familiar for a vulgar style, and suppose that to write without affectation is to write at random. On the contrary, there is nothing that requires more precision, and, if I may so say, purity of expression, than the style I am speaking of. It utterly rejects not only all unmeaning pomp, but all low, cant

5) phrases, and loose, unconnected, slipshod allusions. It is not to take the first word that offers, but the best word in common use; it is not to throw words together in any combination we please, but to follow and avail ourselves of the true idiom of the language. To write a genuine familiar or truly English style, is to write as any one would speak in common conversation, who had a thorough command and choice of words, or 10) who could discourse with ease, force, and perspicuity, setting aside all pedantic and oratorical flourishes. Or to give another illustration, to write naturally is the same thing in regard to common conversation, as to read naturally is in regard to common speech. It does not follow that it is an easy thing to give the true accent and inflection to the words you utter, because you do not attempt to rise above the level of ordinary life and

15) colloquial speaking. You do not assume indeed the solemnity of the pulpit, or the tone of stage-declamation: neither are you at liberty to gabble on at a venture, without emphasis or discretion, or to resort to vulgar dialect or clownish pronunciation. You must steer a middle course. You are tied down to a given and appropriate articulation, which is determined by the habitual associations between sense and sound, and which you can

20) only hit by entering into the author’s meaning, as you must find the proper words and style to express yourself by fixing your thoughts on the subject you have to write about. Any one may mouth out a passage with a theatrical cadence, or get upon stilts to tell his thoughts: but to write or speak with propriety and simplicity is a more difficult task. Thus it is easy to affect a pompous style, to use a word twice as big as the thing you want to

25) express: it is not so easy to pitch upon the very word that exactly fits it. Out of eight or ten words equally common, equally intelligible, with nearly equal pretensions, it is a matter of some nicety and discrimination to pick out the very one, the preferableness of which is scarcely perceptible, but decisive. The reason why I object to Dr. Johnson’s style is, that there is no discrimination, no selection, no variety in it. He uses none but

30) “tall, opaque words,” taken from the “first row of the rubric:”—words with the greatest number of syllables, or Latin phrases with merely English terminations. If a fine style depended on this sort of arbitrary pretension, it would be fair to judge of an author’s elegance by the measurement of his words, and the substitution of foreign circumlocutions (with no precise associations) for the mother-tongue. How simple it is to 35) be dignified without ease, to be pompous without meaning! Surely, it is but a mechanical rule for avoiding what is low to be always pedantic and affected. It is clear you cannot use a vulgar English word, if you never use a common English word at all. A fine tact is shown in adhering to those which are perfectly common, and yet never falling into any expressions which are debased by disgusting circumstances, or which owe their 40) signification and point to technical or professional allusions. A truly natural or familiar style can never be quaint or vulgar, for this reason, that it is of universal force and applicability, and that quaintness and vulgarity arise out of the immediate connection of certain words with coarse and disagreeable, or with confined ideas.

(1821)

7. Which of the following best describes the rhetorical function of the second sentence in the passage?

(A) It makes an appeal to authority.

(B) It restates the thesis of the passage.

(D) It provides a specific example for the preceding generalization.

(E) It presents a misconception that the author will correct.

8. Which of the following phrases does the author use to illustrate the notion of an unnatural and pretentious writing style?

(A) “unconnected, slipshod allusions’’ (line 5)

(B) “throw words together” (line 6)

(D) “get upon stilts” (line 22)

(E) “pitch upon the very word” (line 25)

9. In lines 8 - 23 of the passage, the author uses an extended analogy between

(A) language and morality

(B) preaching and acting

(D) vulgar English and incorrect pronunciation

(E) ordinary life and the theater

10. In line 12, “common speech” refers to

(A) metaphorical language

(B) current slang

(D) regional dialect

(E) impolite speech

11. Which of the following words is grammatically and thematically parallel to “tone” (line 15)?

(A) “solemnity” (line 15)

(B) “pulpit” (line 15)

(D) “liberty” (line 16)

(E) “venture” (line 16)

12. In context, the expression “to pitch upon” (line 25) is best interpreted as having which of the following meanings?

(A) To suggest in a casual way

(B) To set a value on

(D) To utter glibly and insincerely

(E) To succeed in finding

13. The ability discussed in lines 25-28 is referred to elsewhere as which of the following?

(A) “theatrical cadence” (line 22)

(B) “foreign circumlocutions” (lines 33 - 34)

(D) “professional allusions” (line 40)

(E) “universal force” (line 41)

14. The author’s observation in the sentence beginning “It is clear” (line 36) is best described as an example of which of the following?

(A) Mocking tone

(B) Linguistic paradox

(D) The author’s defense of Johnson’s style

(E) The author’s advice to the reader

15. In line 38, “those” refers to which of the following?

I. “words” (line 33)

II. “circumlocutions” (line 34)

III. “associations” ((line 34)

(A) I only

(B) II only

(D) II and III only

(E) I, II, and III

16. The author’s tone in the passage as a whole is best described as

(A) harsh and strident

(B) informal and analytical

(D) superficial and capricious

(E) enthusiastic and optimistic

[1] Ancient peoples

[2] God made the sun stand still while Joshua conducted a battle. (Joshua 10:12-13)

[3] Moses was instructed by God to turn a bitter pool into drinkable water by placing a tree init. (Exodus 15:25)